Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including emergency or nonemergency medical or nonmedical transportation services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.
Under this bill, commencing on January 1, 2026, and subject to an appropriation, Medi-Cal fee-for-service reimbursement for nonemergency ambulance transportation services, as defined, would be in an amount equal to 80% of the amount set forth in the federal Medicare ambulance fee schedule for the corresponding level of service, adjusted by the Geographic Practice Cost Index, as specified. The bill would require the department to establish a directed payment program for Medi-Cal managed care in order to follow a similar treatment to reimbursement rates for nonemergency ambulance transportation services.
The bill would require the department to maximize federal financial participation in implementing the above-described provisions to the extent allowable. To the extent that federal financial participation is unavailable, the bill would require the department to implement the provisions using state funds, as specified.

Statutes affected:
03/24/25 - Amended Assembly: 14129 WIC, 14129 WIC, 14129.2 WIC, 14129.2 WIC, 14129.3 WIC, 14129.3 WIC, 14129.6 WIC, 14129.6 WIC
04/10/25 - Amended Assembly: 14129 WIC, 14129.2 WIC, 14129.3 WIC, 14129.6 WIC